1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to wireless communications between elements included on different ground planes, such as but not limited to supporting wireless communications within a vehicle having multiple isolated power systems.
2. Background
Devices having two galvanically isolated ground planes have relied on optocouplers to support data communications between the ground planes. Optocouplers can be problematic since they require a dedicated communication channel between each of the communicating elements, i.e., one element cannot use a single optocoupler to communicate with multiple elements. Some elements configure theses dedicated communication channels in a serial arrangement where one channel is configured to run between multiple elements. This channel, for example, would connect a first element by way of a first optocoupler to a second element, connected the second element by way of a second optocoupler to a third element, and connected the third element by way of a third optocoupler to the first element. This type of serial configuration requires message to travel in a single direction, to be serially addressed, and to pass through multiple optocouplers whenever the message is not intended for the immediately following element. This can be problematic should one of the optocouplers fail as it can prevent message distribution to any device located downstream of the failed optocoupler.